3. 'Moreover, than that I should die in the hands of ministers,
is it not better that I should die in the hands of you, my disciples?
And though I may not get a great burial, shall I die upon the road?'
CHAP. XII. Tsze-kung said, 'There is a beautiful gem here.
Should I lay it up in a case and keep it? or should I seek for a good
price and sell it?' The Master said, 'Sell it! Sell it! But I would wait
for one to offer the price.'
CHAP. XIII. 1. The Master was wishing to go and live among
the nine wild tribes of the east.
2. Some one said, 'They are rude. How can you do such a
thing?' The Master said, 'If a superior man dwelt among them, what
rudeness would there be?'
CHAP. XIV. The Master said, 'I returned from Wei to Lu, and
then the music was reformed, and the pieces in the Royal songs and
Praise songs all found their proper places.'
CHAP. XV. The Master said, 'Abroad, to serve the high
ministers and nobles; at home, to serve one's father and elder
brothers; in all duties to the dead, not to dare not to exert one's self;
and not to be overcome of wine:-- which one of these things do I
attain to?'
CHAP. XVI. The Master standing by a stream, said, 'It passes
on just like this, not ceasing day or night!'
CHAP. XVII. The Master said, 'I have not seen one who loves
virtue as he loves beauty.'
CHAP. XVIII. The Master said, 'The prosecution of learning
may be compared to what may happen in raising a mound. If there
want but one basket of earth to complete the work, and I stop, the
stopping is my own work. It may be compared to throwing down
the earth on the level ground. Though but one basketful is thrown
at a time, the advancing with it is my own going forward.'
CHAP. XIX. The Master said, 'Never flagging when I set forth
anything to him;-- ah! that is Hui.'
CHAP. XX. The Master said of Yen Yuan, 'Alas! I saw his
constant advance. I never saw him stop in his progress.'
CHAP. XXI. The Master said, 'There are cases in which the
blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower! There are
cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced!'
CHAP. XXII. The Master said, 'A youth is to be regarded with
respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our
present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made
himself heard of, then indeed he will not be worth being regarded
with respect.'